Historical and ongoing emissions mean that climate impacts will continue for decades. While the challenges are significant, British Columbia is well positioned to respond. And many in B.C. are already beginning this important work. By understanding and preparing for climate impacts, we can reduce the risks.

Past Trends

Historical data from 1900-2013 indicates that:

Average annual temperature warmed by 1.4 °C across the province

The night-time minimum average temperature in winter in B.C. increased by 3.1 °C

While we may not be able to completely avoid these impacts, we can minimize their negative effects by preparing ahead of time. For example, by ensuring that communities, businesses and the public service providers are more resilient to extreme weather events, we can reduce the social and economic costs of these events. By creating adaptation strategies for agricultural areas, we can ensure our agricultural sector remains strong. And by designing new buildings and infrastructure with tomorrow’s climate in mind, we will spend less on maintenance and our communities will be safer.